Bamboo Cutting Board Pros

Unlike trees, bamboo actually restores itself within 3 to 5 years. Plus it’s biodegradable (unlike plastic). While a wood board is also biodegradable, the trees that wood cutting boards are made from don’t restore themselves as quickly as bamboo.

If you only need a surface less than 1-inch thick, then a Bamboo cutting board will meet your needs well. Since Bamboo cutting boards can be made extremely thin, they are much less likely to crack than hardwood cutting boards. (The sweet-spot for bamboo is about 3/4″ thick, no larger than 18″ x 24″.)

The different varieties of bamboo that are used to make bamboo cutting boards are not usually taken from habitats that are occupied by the giant panda. If you’re a big fan of conservation, this is another plus to using a bamboo cutting board.

It’s hard to scar a bamboo cutting board with a knife. At the same time, it’s soft enough not to damage or blunt your knives.

Those are the main advantages of using bamboo cutting boards. As you can see, there are plenty of good reasons to consider replacing your current cutting boards with bamboo ones.

The advertising can be a bit confusing. Claims are made that they are 16% harder than maple, and so able to resist cut marks better than wood. In the same breath, it will also be claimed that they are softer than wood and therefore kinder on knife edges. Source

Bamboo Cutting Board Cons

As with anything, there are also a few disadvantages when it comes to using a bamboo cutting board.

Here are a few:

You need to “season” bamboo cutting boards regularly — which can be time consuming. Seasoning will prolong the life of your bamboo cutting board. To season your board, first wash it with hot soapy water. Then, wait for the board to dry. Once it’s dry, saturate the board with food-safe mineral oil. Wipe the mineral oil off. Repeat this process at least 2 more times before using it for the first time. After that, you’ll want to re-season the board every month.

As long as you’re comfortable with hand-washing, and you remember to get one that was made with non-toxic glue, then you are pretty much good to go. While clean up and routine care may be time-consuming, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages — particularly the environmental ones.

Tips For Choosing A Cutting Board

Some of my favorite things to write about are topics that have to do with living green, saving money, pregnancy, weddings, and dogs. When I'm not writing, I love to spend time with my husband, read, create 3D artwork and Native American beadwork.